FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to an electrical contact-making connection and a controller incorporating the electrical contact-making connection. The contact-making connection is formed of a pin which is inserted into a base part formed with a plug-in opening configured for receiving the pin.
For the purpose of making electrical contact between a metal pin and an electrical conductor, it is already known to use a crimp connection, in which the conductor and the pin are together inserted into a compression bush and are then clamped to each other there. In making the clamped contact, it is disadvantageous that only low fit and assembly tolerances can be accepted, that is to say that high dimensional stability in the production of the connecting elements (pin, conductor, compression bush) is necessary, and that precise prepositioning of the same must take place before they are put together. As a result, the production of the contact-making connection is made more difficult, and costs for making the contact are increased.
In the case of a vehicle controller installed in an engine or a transmission, because of the extreme ambient conditions prevailing there (temperatures between -40.degree. and 140.degree. C., vibration accelerations up to 33 g) and the poor accessibility in the event of a failure, high requirements are placed on the reliability of the contact. In the case of the known crimp connection there is the risk that loosening or, in some cases, even detachment of the electrical clamp contact can occur as a result of fatigue of the compression bush material.
In German Utility Model DE 295 01 821 U1, a description is given of a connecting device for connecting lines to multiple plug sockets. A base part of the connecting device has oblique plug-in openings which open into cable ducts which run horizontally and in which electrical conductors to be firmly clamped are laid. Pins project from a plug part of the connecting device and, when the pins are inserted into the plug-in openings in the base part, they are deflected by the latter and, in the process, clamp the lines routed in the base part.
Published, Non-Prosecuted German Patent Application DE 40 20 339 A1 describes a connecting device in which a fine wire can be fixed by a pin in a tapering sleeve. The pin is equipped with notched teeth, in order to assume a blocking frictional seat in the sleeve.
A clamping element in the form of a leaf spring twisted about its longitudinal axis is described in Published, Non-Prosecuted German Patent Application DE 16 65 815 A. By rotating the spring counter to its prestress, conductor ends located in a sleeve are clamped against one another, achieving high contact forces.
In German Patent DE 197 12 842 C1, a description is given of a controller for a motor vehicle. A housing cover of the controller encloses electrical conductors, whose conductor ends project from the housing cover and project into openings in the base plate. Conductor tracks of a flexible printed circuit board are routed to the openings and are crimped there with the projecting conductor ends.
European Patent EP 0 394 327 B1 describes a central electrical unit for a motor vehicle. This contains, inter alia, a distributor plate with lead-through slots which have holding openings in which first electrical contacts in the form of wire clips are compressed with second electrical contacts in the form of pins and are connected electrically in the process.
In Published, European Patent Application EP 0 507 062 A2, a description is given of a plug strip, which is positively shielded against electromagnetic interference, for electronic controllers in motor vehicles.